Tennis racket with variable tension of cords



Dec. 11 1923.

1,476,906 C. ROSS SANTA MARIA TENNIS RACKET WITH VARIABLE TENSION OF corms Filed March 17. 1922 Patented Dec. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES GAIVIILO ROSS SANTA MARIA, OI? PARIS, FRANCE.

TENNIS RACKET wrrn vanmnnn Tension or cones.

Application filedMarch 17, 1922. SerialNo. 5442.5 .47.

1 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CAMILO Ross SANTA MARIA, citizen of the Chilian Republic, residing at 217 Faubourg Saint-Honore, Paris, France, have invented certain new and useall Improvements in Tennis Rackets with Variable Tension of Cords, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to tennis racket and intended to enable each person to main tain the cords of the racket in the suitably stretched position and to regulate the tension of the same with great facility.

The said invention is characterized in that the whole or part of the longitudinal. cords are mounted at the end adjacent the handle upon small rollers disposed in a movable metal holder provided with a rod which passes throughout the whole length of the handle and whereupon traction may be exerted at the end of the handle by suitable means, for example by a tension nut screwed upon the threaded end of the said rod and bearing upon the end of the handle. The said holder is preferably contained in the normal position in a recess provided in the frame and the middle part of the racket, the holder being for this purpose of a very thin and narrow construction and thus adapted for use with only a portion of the lengthwise cords of the racket. The metal parts may be constructed in such manner that their weight will compensate the weights of the wood which is removed in order to contain the device, whereby the weight and the equilibration of the racket shall remain unchanged.

The said invention may be carried into effect under various forms, and the accompanying drawing is given solely by way of example in order to set forth a form of construction as herein applies: to a racket with rounded middle portion.

Fig. 1 is a front view of the racket in section through the axis of the handle and Fig. 2 a cross-section on the line IL-II Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view on a larger scale, and Fig. 4: a corresponding plan view of the holder alone and before the mounting of the rollers. Figs. 5 and 6 are corresponding views of the holder in the complete state.

The racket handle 1 is provided with a lengthwise central aperture for the loose insertion of the rod 2 which is screw threadedat the lower endB and secured by a rivet f to the holder 5. The usual reinforcing screw is replaced by the bolt 14; which is apertured for the free passage of the rod 2. To this effect, the said rod is of fiat shape preferably throughout the whole length, except at the screw-threaded end. The said holder is preferably made in one piece which is cast or out out in the mass of. metal, the side cheeks 5 being connected together at the ends and also crossconnected by the transverse portions 6 in such manner as to provide the recesses 7 for the rollers and a recess 8 for receiving the rod 2. The rollers 9 are put in place in the recesses 7 and are mounted on riveted axles. The rod2 is inserted through the handle into the recess 8 of the holder and is secured therein by a rivet l.

The cords being secured to the rollers of the said holder, it is simply necessary to draw upon the rod 2 in order to cause the holder to enter the recess formed in the middle part of the racket. This tension is carried out with facility by means of a nut 10 screwed upon the threaded portion 3 of the rod 2, and disposed in a recess formed in the material at the end of the handle, bearing by means of a good-sized washer upon the end of the handle. The walls of the said recess are preferably strengthened by the use of a metal socket 11 which is internally screw-threaded at the lower part and is adapted to receive a closing stopper 12 serving to enclose the nut and to finish off the handle. To regulate the tension of the cords, it will suffice to unscrew the screwthreaded plug 12 and to make use of a socket wrench as shown at 13, Fig. l, in order to efiect the screwing or unscrewing of the nut 10 in the desired sense.

The revoluble rollers in the said holder are provided in order to afford a perfect distribution of the tension between the cords attached. to the said holder. This tension of the middle cords is transmitted to the lateral cords by theslipping of the cord in the holes of the frame. If desired, additional rollers may be provided for this purpose. At the same time, the transverse cords will be also stretched by the expansion of the frame in the transverse sense caused by the shortening of the said frame in the vertical sense by the traction of the longitudinal cords, and in this manner the simple tightening of the said nut will Hill provide for the perfect and uniform stretching of the; cords. Should-the racket become loosened after use, the'desired tension is restored by a turn of the nut.

'It is obvious that the shape of the said holder, which Will moreover depend upon the form of the'middle part of the racket,

as Well as the method of construction of the same, may he varied in"an'y suitable manner, as ell as the other details of constructio'n, Without eXceedin'g-the' limits of of the strings, and a reinforcing bolt transversely extending through the upper portion' of said handle and having an orifice therein through which extends said fiat rod.

2. The combination with the strings of a tennis racket, of a curved holder having aoseriesof spaced compartments, a roller journallcd in each of said compartments and engagingsaid strings, a flat rod extending through a longitudinal opening in the handle of said racket, said rod operatively connected'at one end to said holder and at its opposite extremity provided with means for adjusting the tensioning of said strings, and a. reinforcing bolt extending trans- Verse'lythrough said handle intermediate theends of the racket, said bolt having an opening therein through which extends said flat'rod.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GAMILO ROSS SANTA MARIA.

Certificate of Correction. It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 1923, upon the application of Cainilo Ross Santa Maria, of Paris, France for an improvement in Tennis Rackets with Variable Tension of Cords, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 21, claim 1, for the word increased read i'llCdSCd, and that the said. Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ()fliee.

Signed and sealed this 1st day at April, A. D. 1924.

[SEAL] KARL F ENN IN G,

Acting Gammz'ssioner of Patents.

0. 1,476,906, granted December 11, 

